A huge influx of Russians in Phuket is producing a backlash from locals, amid complaints of a booming Russian-only economy that covers everything from hair salons to taxi firms.

More than 400,000 Russians arrived on the Thai tourist island between January and July this year, according to authorities, double the number of visitors before Russia’s war against Ukraine.

Many have secured long stay-visas, buying properties and establishing businesses to escape economic turmoil and the possibility of being conscripted following Russian President Vladimir Putin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.

    • timidgoat@lemmy.ca
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      1 year ago

      Perhaps prejudiced is a more appropriate term. And I agree, I think we ought to avoid such inflammatory statements about an entire nation of people based on the actions of a relatively small few, even when those actions are despicable.

    • bookmeat@lemm.ee
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      1 year ago

      The racist is Putin sending all of Russia’s ethnic minorities to slaughter in Ukraine.

    • InvertedParallax@lemm.ee
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      1 year ago

      Russian is not a race…

      Slavic would be, but Ukrainians are Slavic too.

      Interesting fact, many of whom putin sends aren’t ethnically “russian” at least to him, he’s managing to both wage a war and cleanse his population at the same time, how efficient.